Markets rebounded from six sessions of decline and are expected to end higher bolstered by firm global cues and rally in metal and realty stocks, shrugging off weak industrial output data.
S&P CNX Nifty opened in the green and dipped to 5,711 on reports of industrial output data for the month of Novembe at 2.7% compared to 11.3% in October. The Nifty bounced back from the day's low and touched an high of 5,858, snapping six day's of decline which dragged the index down more than 6%. Currently, the Nifty was trading at day's high at 5855, up 111 points, and Sensex was at 19,511, up 312.
Investors continued to remain wary for the near-term ahead of Infosys results on Thursday and Inflation data for December on Friday. The Industrial output data (IIP) for the month of November at 2.7% was below the estimates of 6%. Manufacturing growth was muted at 2.3% versus 12.3% in the same month last year. Manufacturing goods has 80% weightage on IIP index. Dr. Arun Singh, Sr. Economist, Dun & Bradstreet, said, “the inflationary pressures might have impacted the production activity in the intermediate goods and the consumer non-durables sector." Dun & Bradstreet expects IIP growth to consolidate and average around 8.5% during the remaining months of the current fiscal.
Infosys October-December quarter results may provide the much needed relief to the volatile markets tomorrow. Shashi Bhusan, Senior Research Analyst, Prabhudas Lilladher said, " we are positive on the overall demand environment of Indian IT services and have recently revised our volume estimate for Tier-1 companies to 26-30% from earlier 22-25% and for Tier-2 companies to 22-27% from 16-22%."
Other markets in Asia ended on a firm note supported by higher crude-oil prices. Hang Seng was up 1.5% at 24,126 backed by gains in energy producers. The Shanghai Composite closed up 0.6% at 2,821 led by rally in property shares. The Straits Times closed flat at 3,247, while the Seoul Composite at 2,095 and Taiwan Weighted at 8,965 both closed up marginally at 0.3% and 0.4%.
Consumer Durables shares were leading the gains, the index was up 3.6% pulled by Titan Industries, up 7.7%, Whirpool, up 6.6% and VIP Industries, up 4.1%.
BSE Metals and Realty indices were up 2.7% and 2.4% each. Sterlite Industries zoomed 6%, JSW Steel surged 4.5% and Jindal Saw advanced 3.2%. From realty space Unitech was up 4.5%, Sobha Developers was up 3.9% and Indiabulls Real Estate gained 3.4%.
BSE capital goods index continued to remain a laggard in trade on back of weak IIP data. Larsen & Tourbo slipped 1.4%, Gammon India was off 1.2% and Crompton Greaves lost 0.9%.
Tata Motors rose 4.6%, ICICI Bank advanced 3.6% and HDFC Bank climbed 2.7% were the top gainers on Sensex. Only seven components on the Sensex were trading in the red, Larsen & Tourbo, down 1.4%, Tata Power fell 1.3% and Hindustan Unilever declined 1.3%.
Broader markets were firm, the midcap and smallcap indices gained over 1% each.